


Gay? Join a Sport

by Adohug



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, Multi, field hockey AU, sports AU, this is mostly self indulgent with moments for rights
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-06 17:34:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20510825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adohug/pseuds/Adohug
Summary: Alyssa’s loved field hockey since third grade, when she was put into a little league team by her father. She loves running after the ball, spinning around girls and opponents and passing to a teammate in the circle to score, and while she disliked sprinting to recover behind the defense when the ball got past her she understood its necessity. By the time middle school rolled around, she was able to sign up for the modified team and was fully aware of just how much of a midfielder she was.Or: I finally got the courage to write about a sport I didn't know existed until I started playing itOr or: field hockey au





	1. Introductions

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome, this will be a multichaptered piece of me badly explaining a lesser known sport. I hope you all blunder through it for the characters like how I read soccer aus

Alyssa jogs up to the field, cleared-to-play slip in hand and bag slung across her back, laughing at the frustrated look on Dee Dee’s face. “Coach, you’ve been in Edgewater for seven years; you should be used to getting the nurse’s approval.”

“Oh, I am, Alyssa; it doesn’t mean I like it.” She takes the proffered slip with her this-early-in-the-season-version of a relieved smile, which is just the lessening of her semi-permanent scowl. “Showing up after me to the field? That’s late for you.”

“My mom’s alarm decided to fritz out this morning,” she explains as she drops her bag on the bleachers and sits down next to it. “When I was already downstairs before I heard her shower start running I knew something was up, but I think we made good time.” She pulls out her shin guards and some slips, flashing her coach a smile.

Dee Dee huffs. “I’ll say.” She looks back down at her clipboard, finishing up something or other.

The two lapse into a companionable silence; Alyssa’s been playing under Dee Dee since ninth grade, and with senior year coming up they know they don’t need to fill every minute with conversation. Alyssa finishes tying her cleats and grabs her stick, slipping on her goggles and shoving her mouthguard into her pocket. She uses the yard-long piece of wood composite that is her stick to pull a ball from the ball bag and starts dribbling across the dewey grass, getting a head start on her warmups and testing the field out.

“Grass is still too long, coach.” She switches to arial dribbling, bouncing the ball on the flat side of her stick and starting to count.

“Until maintenance gets their head out of their asses and realizes that we’re better than the football team this is the best we’re getting. And put your mouthguard in.”

“I’ve got my goggles on!” At that moment, the ball bounces weird, or Alyssa moves her stick wrong, and suddenly she’s got a three-inch-round projectile coming towards her face that she barely moves out of the way of. It thunks against the ground behind her, and Alyssa looks through the metal in front of her eyes that she never notices to find Dee Dee giving her a ‘told you so’ look.

\-----------------------------------------------

Alyssa’s loved field hockey since third grade, when she was put into a little league team by her father. She loves running after the ball, spinning around girls and opponents and passing to a teammate in the circle to score, and while she disliked sprinting to recover behind the defense when the ball got past her she understood its necessity. By the time middle school rolled around, she was able to sign up for the modified team and was fully aware of just how much of a midfielder she was.

She put her name on the list before she heard the whispers from her classmates.

“Field hockey? How do skates work on grass?”

“Football will get better if more people sign up for it!”

“Soccer’s where it’s at; you never get hurt!”

“Who would want to run for fun?”

“Don’t the gays sign up for that?”

As it turned out, the queer kids tended to gravitate towards field hockey, and Alyssa was no exception. When her mom found out, she almost tried to dissolve the team, but Alyssa put her foot down.

That was one of the few arguments she won against her mother, few though they were.

\-----------------------------------------------

Slowly but surely the rest of the team trickled down to the field, yawning or joking in clusters on the bleachers. After everyone handed Dee Dee their slips and put on their shin guards and cleats, she claps her hands to shut them up. “Ladies, Enbies and Grey, welcome to field hockey preseason day one. For the new to varsity, I’m your head coach, Dee Dee Allen. My other half, Barry Glickman, is running thirteen and a half minutes late, and will arrive while Alyssa, Shelby and Kaylee lead you through shuttles with my third coffee of the day. Since you all made it through tryouts for this team I don’t expect any slackers. After warmups we will go around and share names, grades and the likes.”

Knowing that her spiel is done, Alyssa hops up to her feet and takes the wheel. “Alright, let’s warm up now!” She motions to Kaylee and Shelby to stand up and join her at the head of the group.

After leading the group through some dynamic stretches and a small run, they had back to the bleachers to get their next instructions.

“Feeling loose? Good.” Dee Dee gets them to stand in a big circle. “Let’s do names, pronouns, grades, positions and sexualities. If you’re uncomfortable with that last thing just opt out, we won’t--”

She’s cut off by the squealing of tires in the nearest parking lot as a pickup truck speeds in. Alyssa’s scared it’ll flip with how fast it took the turn, but it parks and shuts off safely. The slamming of a door and the pounding of feet against asphalt brings someone closer to the group, and she notices the blonde hair before the gear and the slip in her hand.

“Is this field hockey? I’m so sorry, my alarm didn’t go off and my cousin didn’t wake me when he left for soccer practice--”

“You missed warmups.” Dee Dee cuts the new kid off, taking the slip out of their hand and adding it to her clipboard. “We’re just about to do introductions, join the circle and see me after.”

Alyssa can see a blush on their cheeks as they move into the circle across from her. She looks to Dee Dee, who gives her a nod. “I’ll start with introductions, then. Hi, I’m Alyssa, she/her. I’m a senior, I play mid, and I’m a lesbian.”

She hears a choking noise from across the circle and flashes a small smile at the even-redder face of the newcomer.

On her left, Shelby goes next. “Shelby, she/her. I’m a senior defender and bisexual.”

It goes on around the circle.

“Kaylee, she/her. I’m a senior forward and bisexual.”

“I’m Emma, but the team calls me Worma. She/her, i'm a junior mid and an ace lesbian.”

“Kat, she/her. I’m the goalie, in tenth grade, and bi.”

“I’m Veronica! She/her, I’m a freshman mid and a lesbian!”

“Sig, she/her. I’m a junior defender and an ace wuhluhwuh. I guess you could say Worma and I are the aces up the team’s sleeve!”

I’m Grey, he/him. I’m a freshman mid and straight.”

“Uh, I’m Emma, she/her. I’m a senior, I play defense mostly, but I’ve played goalie before, and I’m a lesbian.”

“Angie, she/her. I’m a forward in tenth grade and lesbian.”

“I’m Steph, she/her. I’m a junior defender and another ace up the team’s sleeve! Also a lesbian.”

“I’m Grace, but please call me Wisdom, she/her. I’m a freshman defender and a lesbian.”

“Aya, she/her, I’m a sophomore, a forward and a lesbian.”

“I’m Syd, they/them, I’m a junior defender and a lesbian.”

“Call me Drift, she/her or they/them, please. I’m a senior mid and I like girls.”

“Cait, she/her. I’m a sophomore mid and a lesbian.”

“Call me Snowy! She/her, I’m a sophomore forward. I’m not too sure what I am, but ace works for now.”

“I’m Aimee, she/her. I’m a junior forward and very much a lesbian.”

“And I’m Abby, she/her! I’m a freshman forward and call myself queer, but bi also works!”

“Is that everyone? Good.” Dee Dee takes one more look around the group before nodding to herself. “Kat, suit up. The rest of you, grab your stuff and split into three groups of six. Kaylee, Shelby and Alyssa will be in separate groups and lead you through our shuttles. Emma, come here.”

As chatter starts up again as everyone goes to collect their gear. Alyssa enters a conversation with Kaylee and Shelby, but can’t help glancing at the new girl, Emma, as she talks to Dee Dee. She’s been in Edgewater all her life, but hasn’t seen this girl before.

“Alyssa!” She jolts, turning back to Shelby who looks slightly annoyed. “Were you listening? Go pick a group of underclassmen to lead.”

With a shake of her head and a nervous laugh, she grabs her stick and goggles and leads a group onto the field. She sees Angie doing a dance move with her stick and laughs for real when she misses and thwacks herself in the thigh with the handle.


	2. Getting to Know You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In sixth grade Emma was put in goalie pads and felt ridiculous. She had to waddle as she walked or she would trip, and she could barely use her hands with the bulky padding. After three days of falling over herself to get to the goal, the injured goalie she replaced pulled her aside and gave her a pep talk and the advice her coaches were sorely lacking for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> never expect chapters this quick again, i had most of the written before posting chapter one

Emma’s decided that complexes suck. After her third and final run around all of the practice fields, she returns to her scary coach (Dee Dee?) to find her holding a coffee cup and talking to an obviously gay middle-aged man. She stands there awkwardly for a moment or two before either of them notice her.

“Emma, you mentioned you’ve played goalie before in your introduction?” She nods, unsure of what to say. “You’re backup goalie if Kat ever gets injured. We’ll put you in pads a couple times to keep you in shape, but put on your goggles and join Kaylee’s group for shuttles.”

“Okay,” she replies, but Coach is already back to talking with the man. She moves to where her bag was still dumped on the ground and pulls her stick out, goggles and mouthguard attached by a rubber band. She separates them and jogs out to the field, looking lost.

Of course she has to move districts just in time for her senior year… She really needs to work on her name skills; which one was Kaylee?

“Emma!” She turns at the sound of her name to see a shorter person with long brown hair waving at her. As she jogs over, she sees a ball passed to the other person, who stopped it and let the person behind them take it. “I’m Kaylee, I heard Dee Dee say my name? Join my group, we’re doing shuttles.”

“Yeah, she said to join your group. I’m new in town and bad at names.” Emma smiles sheepishly.

“It’s not a problem, we’re always happy to add someone to our big family!” Kaylee smiles at her, looking her up and down once. “And I don’t think Shelby or Kevin would be mad if I asked you out.”

“I-- y-- buh-- g-- what?” She eventually get out a word. “But-- you-- two people?”

Kaylee winks, a playful smile on her lips. “Yeah, but we’re always open to more.”

With amazing timing, the ball is back to Kaylee, who takes it and dribbles down the field to the other part of the group, leaving Emma flabbergasted. Yeah, part of the introduction was sexualities, but this is Indiana!

\-----------------------------------------------

In sixth grade Emma was put in goalie pads and felt ridiculous. She had to waddle as she walked or she would trip, and she could barely use her hands with the bulky padding. After three days of falling over herself to get to the goal, the injured goalie she replaced pulled her aside and gave her a pep talk and the advice her coaches were sorely lacking for her.

This was also the girl who got her kicked out, but at the time she was a godsend.

Soon enough, Emma was the goalie until Kat was cleared, and remained backup goalie for the rest of her stay in Heaven, Indiana.

Really, Emma didn’t want to re-enter the public school system -- online classes were fine, really! -- but Gran insisted on her senior year being completed in person. “Besides, the field hockey team only lets you on if you’re enrolled in their district.”

\-----------------------------------------------

Practice went well; aside from the extra running that Dee Dee promised would decrease if they do well this season, Emma feels more comfortable in her own skin and around the team by the end of it. She even laughs along with Snowy as Veronica finishes up a joke concerning a snake and an unfortunate pile of socks until someone taps her shoulder.

As she turns around, she realizes it’s a teammate (Aaaaaaaalice?) and not Dee Dee or Barry (the man she’d been talking to earlier). They’re smiling, looking slightly nervous. “Hi, I just wanted to introduce myself again, because Kaylee said you’re new to the district? I’m Alyssa, she/her.” She sticks a hand out.

She takes it, shaking. “Emma, she/her, and yeah, I am. I’m guessing this school’s pretty small if you noticed I was a stranger?”

“Yeah, sort of. I’ve been here all my life, is all.” She ducks her head, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “I’m guessing you’re starting school with us all?”

“I couldn’t play here unless I did, so yeah.” Emma smiles a little. 

Alyssa seems to brighten up. “If you’re new, could I show you around? I tend to just ask the freshmen if they need help, but if you’re new…”

“Don’t the freshmen get assigned seniors? I heard about that from my cousin, Greg, was that right?”

“Well, yeah, but…” Alyssa looks around at everyone, talking amongst themselves and smiling. Grey lets out a bark of laughter from something Cait had said, startling Syd and making them drop their stick from where they were balancing it on their nose. “By the time high school rolls around, field hockey is known as the gay sport. Most seniors give their freshmen the cold shoulder if they’re on this team.”

“Oh, just the cold shoulder? And here I am after being kicked out of my house.” Emma freezes, realizing what she just let out. “I mean-- well I was, but-- uh-- I’d love to be shown around the school by you!” She ends up yelling to cover up her mistake, causing Kaylee and Shelby to look over. 

Alyssa thankfully lets it slide, instead nodding. “Great! The school’s open to us next week for if you want to scope out your schedule, we could head over after practice one day?”

“Yeah, I’d like that. Thanks, Alyssa.”

She makes a dismissive motion with her hand. “This team’s really close. I can’t have some newbie ruin our dynamic.” She’s smiling, lessening any blow that was trying to be dealt.

Emma smiles too. “Oh? And what dynamic is that?”

Alyssa’s grin grows as she leans closer to her face. Emma suddenly feels her heart in her throat and her face turning red. Stupid paper white skin. “Really, really gay.”

Emma blinks, and Alyssa is ten feet away, walking towards the parking lot with Kaylee and waving back to the bleachers. “Bye, everyone! See you tomorrow!”

She stays there for a moment, stunned, until Shelby’s laughter breaks through the haze her brain turned into. She turns to her to see a shit-eating grin on her face and an evil glint in her eye. “What?”

Shelby shakes her head, pulling out her phone. “Nothing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we love queer kids hanging out together


	3. Hi Welcome to Applebees

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Congratulations arise from the table and Alyssa raises her glass too. “If we’re making toasts, I’d like to add one: not only to happiness, but to self-expression. Never hide yourself for the sake of conformity.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No im not sorry

When Alyssa suggested that the team go and get an early lunch/brunch at Applebees after practice she didn’t expect the entire team to be available, but now she’s apologizing to the uncaring waitstaff as eighteen other people joke and talk behind her.

She ends up seated by Grey and Shelby, who immediately moves half of her body weight onto Kaylee and talking to Drift on Kaylee’s other side. She’s content to sit quietly and let the overlapping conversations wash over her when she hears a glass clinking near the middle of the table (well, tables pushed together). As everyone quiets down she notices Angie holding a spoon and her glass, smiling really wide. “I’d like to make a toast! We’ve been keeping it quiet, but…” 

She smiles at Drift, who finishes her sentence. “Today is our one month anniversary!”

“Yeah! I guess you could say I was Drift compatible!” Angie smiles all the wider at the groan she gets from her teammates (along with the threat of a stick to the kneecaps from Grey as he gets up to use the bathroom).

Congratulations arise from the table and Alyssa raises her glass too. “If we’re making toasts, I’d like to add one: not only to happiness, but to self-expression. Never hide yourself for the sake of conformity.”

“May I add one more?” Alyssa looks to see Emma holding a glass, and gives her a small smile. “This may be my second day here, but I already feel like I’ve been here forever, so… thank you for making me feel so at home.”

“Cheers!” Alyssa blinks, turning to what used to be Grey’s seat to find Kevin holding a glass. 

“Kevin, why are you here?”

He blinks, probably just noticing Alyssa. “Oh, hey! It’s date day, I came to pick up my girls.”

She looks over at her friends to find them practically one being, noticing Kevin’s other hand extending behind her to intertwine with… someone’s. “They’re not participating in the meal, so yeah, go ahead and take them.”

“Sweet! Thanks, Lys. See you in school!” As the threesome get up and leave, a group of boys walk in. Alyssa frowns when she sees them; football players.

While not everyone on football hated the field hockey team (Nick was… the only one that came to mind), most of them held a dangerous distaste for them. The boys today are some of the worst about it, too; Jackson and Fred led the pack with Ashton and Cole following. 

Jackson stops laughing when he sees the group, raising his voice. “Uh oh, guys, looks like we’re gonna have to avoid this place for a while; there’s an infestation of lesbos!”

“Nah, man, you know how Applebees works; if we don’t get rid of them now, they won’t try to run them out for weeks.” Fred jumps in, taking a step towards their table. 

Alyssa stands up, intercepting them. “Hey Jackson, Fred! Ashton, Cole, nice to see you too. How’s preseason going?” She flashes her student-council-president smile.

Jackson blinks, clearly surprised. “Oh, Alyssa. I, uh, didn’t see you there, with the, uh--”

“‘Lesbos?’ No, I wasn’t there. I was sitting with my _teammates_, though.” She makes sure to put emphasis there.

“They’re the lesbos, though! Seriously, Alyssa, why do you hang out with them? You might be infected with whatever disease they have, and some of them don’t even call themselves girls!” Fred interjects, gesturing a hand towards Syd, whose frown deepens.

Alyssa grits her teen and crosses her arms to stop herself from swinging. “Well, Fred, I happen to enjoy the sport and my teammates’ company, so-called ‘disease’ or otherwise. Unlike you, who can’t step within two feet of your teammates without pulling the ‘no homo’ card.”

SHe shouldn’t have gone that far, but Alyssa’s too focused on keeping her team safe to care about her personal safety. She doesn’t notice the small scraping of a chair, or the _swish_ of the bathroom door opening.  
Fred’s face darkens, and he and Jackson begin looming over her. Curse her average female height. “You know, Greene, you’re starting to make me think that _you’re_ just another dy--”

_Crack!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> still not sorry


	4. Punishment and Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She shrugs. “I don’t like bullies.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there will be actual field hockey in the next chapter

The extra complexes are worth beating assholes up at Applebees, Emma thinks. She huffs to a stop with Kat and Grey, also being punished for the same incident.

“Grey, I never got to say, but you have a mean right hook.” Emma offers a hand in high-five, which he happily takes.

“Thanks, Kat taught me it.”

She swats his arm playfully. “I did not do it willingly, don’t listen to him. Emma. I used to get into fights and he decided to try and Knight in Shining Armor me once. It ended up with his eye so swelled up that he couldn’t see nothin’ for a week.”

Emma chuckles at that image, starting to head to the bleachers. The three of them had stayed after practice for their punishment, and would do so until the end of the week. “So are you two dating?”

The reaction is immediate. Grey lets out an “ew, no way” and Kat makes the most disgusted face possible.

“Emma, no. I may be bi, but Grey’s pretty much my little brother.”

Emma raises her hands. “Sorry, I assumed.”

“It’s fine, we get asked that more than we want to.” Kat grabs her water bottle, taking a sip before continuing. “So, Emma, why’d you join us in beating those idiots up?”

She pauses. In all honesty, she has no idea what possessed her to do stand up. At her old school she usually fought with words; she never actually threw a punch.

But seeing that jerk lean closer to Alyssa, probably breathing his rank breath into her face…

She shrugs. “I don’t like bullies.”

\-----------------------------------------------

It’s Saturday, which brings about a shorter (but somehow more intense) practice. As Dee Dee walks off with Barry to discuss something or other (probably another punishment for her, Grey and Kat) after they dismiss the team for the day, Emma turns around to ask something that’s been bothering her this whole time. 

“So, Worma. How did you get that nickname?”

“I gave it to her!” Veronica pipes up before Worma can turn to Emma and answer. 

Emma turns to the freshman with a bemused smile. “Why Worma?”

Veronica turns to Worma, practically vibrating. “Can I tell her? Please?”

Worma laughs, nodding.

“Yay! Okay, so Worma and I have been next door neighbors ever since I can remember, and we played together a bunch and became super close friends, even though she’s two years older than me. And once when I was in fifth grade, that made her a seventh grader, she decided she wanted to bring some worms into school, and I, being the good friend I am, decided to help her find them. Turns out there are more worms than makes sense in our backyards, so we filled a bigger box than we planned! So the next day she brings them into school, and I’m on my way home when I get a text that says ‘apparently explanations are needed to bring worms into school?’ and I laugh and text back ‘at least it’s a notable thing you’ve done; you’re Worm-Emma now. Worma!’ and apparently she was on the bus and liked that name so much that she announced to the entire bus that her name was now Worma, and it’s been four years!”

Emma isn’t sure if Veronica breathed while speaking.

“That’s one way to get a nickname.” 

Worma finally speaks up. “Did your old school give you any nicknames?”

“That weren’t slurs? No.”

Both Veronica and Worma quiet down, exchanging a look. 

She stops that train of thought. “Hey, I’m out of that place now, and I never let them get to me anyways.” Emma finishes putting away her stuff, ready to speed out of there.

As she makes her way to her car she’s oblivious to the two pairs of eyes following her movements.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehehehehe


	5. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “She’s free on Tuesday.”
> 
> She looks up at Sig. “What?”
> 
> Sig looks up. “Huh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay i lied theres next to no fhockey here

Alyssa’s Sunday is spent at church, first praying then volunteering. While she normally loved being there, she can’t help but feel antsy, as if she’s anticipating something. 

A couple of her teammates volunteer too, so she has the chance to talk to them about how she’s feeling.

Shelby won’t get off her phone (a sneaky look reveals her partners talking) and is no help, but Sig is willing to listen while getting sandwiches for the younger kids ready. “Aren’t you showing Emma around the school this week? You might be looking forward to that.”

Alyssa nods, spreading the peanut butter contemplatively. “That might be it, yeah. Oh, we never decided on a day for that…”

“She’s free on Tuesday.”

She looks up at Sig. “What?”

Sig looks up. “Huh?”

“How did you know that?” She doesn’t mean for it to come out so sharply.

It’s hard to ignore the blush on her face. “Well Emma and I are both defense so we end up together a bunch. She mentioned that her grandma needed her at home every day except Tuesday.”

Alyssa nods, trying to push down a spike of something without letting it show on her face. “Oh, yeah, duh. I don’t hang out with her as much as you, you’re bound to know more about her.”

Sig nods in agreement. “Yeah, exactly.”

\-----------------------------------------------

Gayreene: Emma! So when are you free after practice this week? I need to show you around school.

NoLoveLife: i'm sorry i can't take you seriously with capitalization AND punctuation

NoLoveLife: but i'm needed at home every day after practice but tuesday

Gayreene: Accept my help AND my punctuation, Nolan, or you get neither.

NoLoveLife: noted, so does tuesday work

Gayreene: It definitely does! We could drive your car down to the closer parking lot after practice?

NoLoveLife: as long as you give me directions

\-----------------------------------------------

“Hey, Alyssa?” Sig comes up to her before practice on Tuesday, hands wringing together.

“Sig, what’s up?” 

The junior looks around before leaning in closer. “Can you keep a secret?”

“I kept our plans for senior night a secret from Mandy, the nosiest person I’ve ever met. Yes, I can keep a secret.”

“Okay, good.” Sig takes a deep breath, then rushes something out that Alyssa doesn't catch. 

“I’m sorry, what?”

“IhaveacrushonEmmaandIdon’tknowwhattodopleasehelp.”

Alyssa blinks, stomach suddenly tight. She tries to get a word out, realizes her throat is dry, swallows, then tries again. “Emma, huh?”

Sig nods, face getting redder every second. “It’s just that she seems really confident, and she’s funny, and she got up and punched those jerks at Applebees with Kat and Grey, and—”

“Sig, breathe.” Alyssa puts her hands on the younger girl’s shoulders. She may not feel okay, for whatever reason, but she’s not concerned about herself. “First of all, you never have to rationalize your feelings to me. Second, I can’t blame you for liking Emma. She seems likeable.”

Sig sags, as if Alyssa just relieved her of a burden. “Thanks, Alyssa. I probably won’t act on it yet, but I needed to tell someone.”

Relief floods through Alyssa (_wait why_ and _no your friend comes first_ are thoughts that run through her mind in quick succession) and she smiles, patting her shoulder. “Well, now you know you can come to me if you need it.”

Sig smiles. “I probably will.” 

Dee Dee decides then was the perfect time to start practice, and the two girls part ways with a smile. Still, Alyssa can’t shake off the weird feeling that Sig’s confession gave her, especially when she notices Emma and Sig throughout practice, and how close they seem to be.

The ball running over her foot after a particularly good hit from Kaylee shakes her from her daze, and she focuses for the rest of practice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> am i sorry? maybe


	6. Corners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sig comments again. “And have you _seen_ your game face?”
> 
> “I, uh,” Emma stammers, blushing from the compliments she’s being bombarded with, “No?”
> 
> “Well, it’s frightening.” Sig also mutters something else, but Emma can’t quite catch it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if how i described that was confusing

“Okay, now that positions are squared away, let’s talk about corners.” Barry speaks to the girls, clustered into Forwards, Mids and Defense. “Any freshmen who want a clarification on what corners are?”

Wisdom and Abby raise their hands. Barry nods. “Corners happen when a foul occurs in the circle on the defense; let’s say Wisdom gets called for foot. Four defense plus the goalie stay in the circle, while the rest of the team is banished to the fifty. One offense inserts the ball from the endline while as many other teammates as they want are lined up outside of the circle. Until the ball is inserted, the defense must stay behind the endline, and the offense must be outside of the circle. When the ball is inserted, it must come out of the circle before it can be shot into the goal. This is all a penalty for the defense, so most times corners end with goals, since they’re so outnumbered. Unless Dee is good.” The older man claps his hands. “We’re going to run a couple of corners, get our lineup ready for the season. Let’s start with Dee. Kat, head into the goal. Emma, fly. Shelby, trail. Sig, Syd, you’re posts. If Emma’s goalie or subbed out, Wisdom will fly. Steph, take whatever position you’re subbed for.”

Emma heads towards the goal with the rest of the defensive line, wondering out loud. “Why in the world am I flying? Shelby’s faster.”

“Are you kidding, Emma? You’re fucking fearless,” Sig jumps in. “I’ve literally never seen you flinch when a stick’s pulled back for a swing; you just keep moving towards the ball.”

Syd adds on, “You also have some crazy good stick skills, so once you have the ball you can bring it up to the mids running back from the Banishment Zone.”

“Plus, you have better stamina than me,” Shelby finishes.

Sig comments again. “And have you _seen_ your game face?”

“I, uh,” Emma stammers, blushing from the compliments she’s being bombarded with, “No?”

“Well, it’s frightening.” Sig also mutters something else, but Emma can’t quite catch it.

By that point, the group reaches the goal and take a seat on the wooden rim, waiting for the mids and forwards to come over with Barry. “Why can’t we know the code for the corners? We’re on the same team.”

Shelby laughs. “If there’s one thing Barry does better than Dee Dee, it’s dramatics. One of the reasons we almost won sections last year was because only those involved in the offensive line knew the corners; less chance of our secrets being let out.”

“You guys almost won?” Emma should have paid more attention to which school she enrolled in.

“Lost in the finals during overtime.”

She winces. “That must have hurt.”

Shelby shrugs. “That just means we have to beat Norman this year.”

A record scratch noise goes off in Emma’s head. “Wait. _John_ Norman? The high school over in Heaven?”

Shelby gives her a weird look. “Yeah, they’re the ones who beat us.”

“Oh, boy, do I have something to tell you guys.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, this is Tuesday


	7. Tour Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Mostly; I was vice president on the student council last year, and I knew every one of them. Really, Fred didn’t get bad until he joined football, but Jackson’s always been a jerk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fun fun banter banter banter

“Seriously, Emma, how did you _not_ realize you were transferring to the school that you beat at finals?” Alyssa climbs into the passenger seat of Emma’s truck as the blonde groans and hits her head on the steering wheel.

“I’m dumb, okay?” 

Alyssa laughs, watching the way Emma’s ears turn red from embarrassment. _It’s sorta cute._

She freezes in the process of getting her seat buckle. Where did that thought come from? _Why_ did she have that thought?

“Moving on, where are we going, exactly?” Emma’s inquiry shakes Alyssa from her thoughts, and she suddenly remembers why she’s in Emma’s car. She clears her throat and quickly clicks her seatbelt in.

“Oh, yeah, just head down the one road available and park in the lowest-down lot. That’s student parking during school.” Emma nods, throwing the truck into gear and heading out of the parking lot. 

“Thanks again for giving me this tour, I know I’d look like an idiot next week if not for you.” 

“And like I said before, I look out for my teammates.”

“Is that why you got up to intercept those jerks at Applebees?” Emma spares Alyssa a glance, and she gestures to keep her eyes on the road.

“Mostly; I was vice president on the student council last year, and I knew every one of them. Really, Fred didn’t get bad until he joined football, but Jackson’s always been a jerk.”

Emma pulls into the lot, quickly finding a parking spot. “And the other two?” She shuts her car off and climbs out.

Alyssa quickly follows, answering after she swings her door shut. “They’ve been lackeys since preschool.”

Emma giggles. “I guess it’s hard to grow a braincell if you’ve never needed to think.”

Alyssa laughs, too. “Sometimes if you listen hard enough, you can hear their footsteps echo in their heads as they walk.”

An inhuman snort erupts from Emma, causing Alyssa to jump in surprise.

“Jeez, are you okay?”

Emma’s shoulders shake, as she nods. “Yeah,” she laughs out, “I’ve just never heard that one before.”

That brings a smile to Alyssa’s face. “I’m known to be creative with my tongue.” Suddenly, Emma’s choking on air and turning red again before Alyssa realizes what she said. Her expression turns horrified. “Wait, that came out wrong.”

“So did I.” Emma recovers enough to crack a joke, and Alyssa relaxes.

“Come on, then, let’s do this tour.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey friends


	8. Oops?

Halfway through the second week of preseason Emma finds herself entering a phase of conditioning she likes to call the Teenage Boy Phase: she’s making her teammates run more as she underestimates her strength while hitting the ball, she’s tripping over her feet as she underestimates her speed while dribbling, and she’s eating Gran out of house and home as she underestimates her hunger while doing chores around the house.

Greg laughs at her as she shoves her fourth protein bar into her bag while heading towards the door, and she casually flips him off as she shuts the door. Barely paying attention to her path, she mutters to herself. “Just because you get a day off from preseason because your coach has a hangover doesn’t make yo-oooooooo,” she almost drops her bag in confusion, “Snowy?”

The aforementioned girl looks up from her own memorized trek, blinking in surprise. “Emma! Since when did you live next to me?”

“Since I moved districts.” She does a mental count of how on-time she is before loving over the lawn to get closer. “I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you on the first day; how do you not recognize a _neighbor_?”

Snowy laughs, also moving closer. “Bad facial memory? Really, I’m surprised to find someone other than Greg or Betsy come out of the house. Though Greg did mention his cousin moving in…” Her eyes widen. “You’re Greg’s cousin!”

Emma nods. “Always have been. He’s mentioned that he has — well, we have — a neighbor around his age, but he said her name was Ciara. I didn’t expect you.”

She holds back a snort. “Emma, did you really think my real name was Snowy?” Emma flounders for an answer.

“Yes? I mean, no? I mean- uh?”

Snowy laughs again, and Emma wishes that the ground would open up and swallow her. 

\-----------------------------------------------

The two girls make it to practice on time and Dee Dee pulls Emma aside after she gets her gear on. “I heard that you were on John Norman’s team until this year?”

“Yes, Ma’am.” 

“Don’t call me ma’am, I’m a coach.” Dee Dee seems to quip back while also preoccupied with her thoughts. “Hm. Yes, okay.” She waves her off. “Go back to the team, come back to me when Barry gets here.”

“Yes, M-Coach.” Emma jogs back gratefully and sits down, where she finds herself surrounded by some of her teammates.

Sig, Snowy and Alyssa hover over her, obviously concerned. Alyssa speaks first. “What did Dee Dee want?”

“She just asked me about what school I went to?” Emma responds, voice betraying her confusion. “I don’t.. entirely know why she asked me that.”

“Ladies, Theydies and Grey, start warmups!” Dee Dee’s voice cuts through any lingering conversations and the team hurries to the sideline to stretch.

**Author's Note:**

> please let me know you read it


End file.
